Travel Guides

Spanish Riding School

The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is one of the oldest
surviving riding schools in the world where classic dressage is
still practised in its purest form. This institute was founded in
1572 and named for the Lipizzaner horses, which are of Spanish
origin. The Imperial Court Stud was originally situated near the
village of Lipizza, hence the name of the horses. But since the
collapse of the Danube Monarchy in 1920, they have been bred at the
Federal Stud in Styria.

The horses perform their tricks in the Winter Riding School,
which was commissioned by Emperor Karl VI. Performances take place
between February and June, and September and December. But they are
in high demand and booked up months in advance (details on their
website). The easiest way to see the horses is during their
training sessions. Tickets are only available at the door and
cannot be booked in advance. Situated in the stables is the
Lipizzaner Museum, which displays the history of the school.